This year, we joined BBC Introducing LIVE as a lead partner, hosting three panels over the three days of the event, as well as the ‘A&R Feedback Centre’ in association with Sennheiser.

The partnership saw AIM continue its role as a gateway for young people establishing themselves in the industry as music entrepreneurs – from new business start-ups to self-releasing artists.

The AIM A&R Feedback Centre, which was completely packed around the clock over all three days, provided 1325 one-on-one feedback sessions for up-and-coming musicians and industry professionals with producers & DJs, A&Rs, music supervisors, music lawyers and leading industry figures.

The AIM community provided access to established experts from companies including 4AD, Believe, Cooking Vinyl, Deezer, Facebook, FUGA, Hospital Records, Soundcloud and XL Recordings. There was also a surprise feedback session from Luke Pritchard, lead singer of The Kooks. These leaders of the independent sector offered mentoring, advice on how to take attendees’ music to the next level and access to commercial opportunities that are only available to independents such as AIM’s exclusive BBC agreement.

The three panels covered a number of topics from the resurgence of UK Jazz to understanding contracts and the ins and outs of creative sampling. Panellist highlights included Femi Koloseo of pioneering new-wave jazz group Ezra Collective, Dean Rudland – MD of Acid Jazz Records, Tony Coleman – CEO of Hospital Records and Nadav Poraz – CEO of WhoSampled.

For our panels on contracts and sampling we designed accompanying ‘tip sheets’ with some useful advice on each of the topics. Download them here for some valuable tips on both topics.

AIM’s CEO Paul Pacifico deliered a keynote address on the art of business, in which he offered a step-by-step guide to getting started as a creative entrepreneur in music in the 21st Century. AIM are also sponsoring a special BBC Introducing Indie Label Market, where a number of independent labels and AIM members setting up stalls to sell their releases.

Paul Pacifico, CEO of AIM said: “Providing access to knowledge about how to get started in music and take your career to the next level is key to AIM’s role In supporting independent music. BBC Introducing Live is a fantastic opportunity to work with our partners at the BBC to promote our shared values in supporting the next generation of talent across both the creative and commercial aspects of the music business. The AIM A&R feedback centre was the perfect chance for up-and-coming music professionals to tap into this knowledge base and take their career to the next level.”

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